Ainu to think that the little match girl is a very odd choice for the school xmas play

[Narnia72]

Child labor, orphan, poverty, awful behavior by grown ups, death and happy ever after because she goes to heaven (we are a non religious school). And somewhere woven into the story is the nativity! I haven't seen the script, but feel quite uncomfortable about the subject matter. I'm not saying anything to he school, but just wondered what others thought about it.

Sounds quite fitting for 2017.

Bit depressing!

It's a beautiful story and thought provoking. I think it's a great choice personally.

DDs school did it last year, it was gorgeous.

I remember studying the story in year 3 or 4, and really liking it, but I don't remember learning about the girl being beaten and I'm not sure if I understood that she had died. It may have just gone over my head, or it may have been edited out. I imagine that a nativity for KS1 or reception would use a suitably edited version - ask if you're worried.

I think it’s a beautiful story with important, powerful messages for this time of year. I know where you’re coming from re going to Heaven if you’re not religious but then Christmas is a Christian Festival, so, again, fitting for the season. I’d absolutely be happy with my kids’ doing this for thier school play.

Now I think it's a beautiful powerful story.When I was 8 or 9 we watched a film version in school,I left the classroom and locked myself in the loos as I found it so upsetting.I had to be coaxed out at home time...
I was a really conformist and law abiding child too.Bizarrely the crystal clear memory I have of the whole thing 50 years later is of the toilets outside Miss Parson's classroom...

Unless they've re-written it to have a happy ending, YANBU

Its a sad, but very thought provoking and Seasonal story.
A couple of years ago, DD and I went to see the stage show at Sadlers Wells.

It was really well done , because it was live and the length of the play and content there was a minimum age limit (I think 5-6yo)

DD knew the story before we went (she was maybe 12yo). There was a young girl behind us who got upset "Oh has she died Mummy" , the Mum said "Oh no she's sleeping. She'll be fine, she's just asleep"

Didn't you read the story missus?

It was done in my school two years ago and it was lovely! There were some beautiful songs that did bring tears to a few eyes. The ending was the traditional ending for The Little Matchgirl but the children loved learning the story of it. It’s been of my fav Christmas shows of recent years.

I had a copy of it when I was about 6yo and loved it.
I read it over and over and cried every time.

It always seemed quite Christmassy to me for some reason.

I very nearly picked this for my school....only did not because I found one with the right number of speaking parts for the children I have this year...

This story breaks my heart. I understand all the important ‘issues’ it raises but I would prefer not to see it. It upset me so much as a child. And clearly still does!

It’s lovely and thought provoking
It was a common feature of my childhood Christmas’s

I was the Little Matchgirl thirtysomething years ago. Sadly it does seem a fitting tale for these very selfish and uncaring times.

I remember being heart broken when she died but I would still always ask my Mum to read it to me.

Didn’t she freeze to death?

It’s a good choice

It is a beautiful story. Makes me cry every time. I wish my dc can understand how fortunate they are. It is an inspired choice for a nativity.

I would not have a problem with it being for a nativity. However, I can understand how some parents might find the context and issues something they think their dcs are not yet ready for.

Areal, yes, the girl freezes to death. In her delirium, the last match she lit for warmth gave her the brilliant vision of her beloved and deceased grandmother who takes her up to heaven.

Awful choice IMO unless you want a hall full of bawling children and parents! It’s terribly sad.

I remember DS being sent home with it as a reading book and just crying my eyes out at it. Those of you saying it’s an important message-does it really need to be hammered home at a school nativity which is supposed to be a joyful and celebratory experience?

I would have liked that as a child! I was quite strange though. I acted out the song Molly Malone as part of a Nativity thing once. Loved a bit of tragic death!

“She died of a fever
And sure, so one could save her
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone
Now her ghost wheels her barrow
Through the streets broad and narrow
Crying "cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh"

Bizarre choice. My secondary school once did Avenue Q! Imagine a bunch of 13 year old singing the Internet is for porn.

Not bizarre at all. It's people celebrating Christmas and all the peace, joy and goodwill stuff that comes with it while ignoring a starving and freezing child. It's a strong message, and frankly one that is not all that different from the Christmas ads on tv that (apparently) loads of people look forward to having a cry over. The same ads that kids will soak up hundreds of times before Christmas.

Agree with Redbull. I read this story as a child and it made me cry then. And still find it upsetting now but its a very fitting story because of whats going on currently.